So, just an update that things are going very well. I have now had the opportunity to spend many evenings with it on a variety of speakers and sources and haven't heard a single thing I didn't like, so it is most likely finished now. Unless I change my mind, which is doubtful, I will have it ready to sell by October and we will debut it at this years Decfest.

I'll continue updates between now and then. At this point my mind is shifting to taking notes while I listen, doing direct A/B/C comparisons between the three TORII's and figuring out the copy for the web page and what I'm going to want to say.

Is this a Integrated Amp with Stepped Potentiometer? The front controls are just for Bias adjustment with the meters for each KT66 tube. So, on the mech drawing on page 3 or 4, I think it was....where is the volume control?

give us some teasers... what will it be named officially? what will it look like in production - more pics, more pics.. what is the official power rating... etc. etc. Compare and contrast its sound to the Torii and other Decware amps. I'm just getting settled into my relationship with my Torii (about 6 months) and now you have to come along and introduce me to her big sister! Will this cause me to be unfaithful to my first love!

Does anybody know if the new amp will have the treble shunt and bass "Q" controls like the Torii MKIII has? Those tweak features on the Torii are the cat's meow for dialing in a single, full-range, high-efficiency driver, xoverless type of speaker...

well... that remains to be seen, agh - "heard" I mean. regardless of power rating... if the mystery amp "sounds" better to my ears, then I'll think I need to replace my Torii.... that's just the way audio nervosa goes.. you know!!

This Amp is for less efficient Speakers as Lon eluded too. I hope it has the Stepped Attenuator like the Mono's. I like to augment the sweet spot driving the Amp directly from my DAC attenuation. Of course, it will drive efficient design Speakers too.

......loudspeakers that are the typical 86 / 87dB sensitivity. To that effect the Janszen 's as listened to and posted by Steve.

While it will drive the less efficient speakers rather well, as demonstrated on the Janszen's, I have been doing the majority of my listening with higher efficiency speakers. Reason being, the additional detail and dynamics of the higher efficiency speakers are more telling of what an amp really sounds like. It would be easy to make the amp a bit glassy on the top end without even knowing it if all I used for voicing were Magnepans... or other slow, power hungry speakers.

The reason I haven't updated the thread is because I am listening to the amp daily to see if I change it. I'm a fidgety person so if the amp is left untouched as the result of not hearing anything I think could be noticeably better, then I know we have a winner. So far I haven't touched it, and doubt I will.

I have not made direct A/B/C comparison with the other amps yet, because that would likely skew my perceptions of the new amp. I need to first hear it as though I was a customer who had never heard the other two. Then the test will be, hearing the other two side by side and seeing if I still like it as much.

Steve, I'm seriously considering this amp if you feel it will have that attention to detail that I love about my Zen Amp, but with a little more push. I'm not sure I could afford the new Torii IV - but if this fits right in-between (price wise) and gets me closer to that holographic sound with more oomph than my one off Zen amp...I'll get in line!

Lonely Raven, I've been following this tread and I think the Mystery Amp will be considerably more expensive than the Torii IV....more in the $5500 ballpark. The power would probably be around 50 watts per channel....if I'm reading between the lines correctly. Of course it's all just speculation on my part, until we get more details from "The Man".

"The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with the concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, deceptions, and spoils;The motions of his spirit are dull as night and his affections dark as Hell. Let no such man be trusted." William Shakespeare

"The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with the concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, deceptions, and spoils;The motions of his spirit are dull as night and his affections dark as Hell. Let no such man be trusted." William Shakespeare

I've been using a Torii MK.III for about 6 months now. I'm really curious to hear the "mystery amp". The Torii paired with high-efficiency, crossoverless, full range driver type speakers is the best sound I've ever heard, at any price - bar none. Competing with anything I've ever heard at RMAF or anywhere else. I'm not sure how much better it can get. Get a speaker that is compatible with the Torii's 25 watts and just sit back and be amazed and enjoy the music. I am attending Zenfest in about a month. To say I'm anxious to hear the Mystery Amp and the Torii IV would be an understatement. I heard the mono's last year at Zenfest.. yes they are good - if you need the power. But to my ears, the sonic differences were subtle - you'd need volume matched A/B comparisons to hear it and/or have listened to both for many, many hours to distinguish the two. Considering the cost differential, I'd go with the Torii and roll a few tubes to tweak the sound to my liking - and spend the extra $$$ on speakers and music... I'm just saying.I'll be listening closely to the Torii MKIV .vs. MK.III .vs. the Mystery Amp at the fest this year to see what I hear before I get in the queue for an upgrade. Will I hear a difference? Probably - will that "difference" be perceived as "better"? Will it be worth the extra $$$? Only our ears can tell us!!!